Ponyville; 2:00pm

Luna has seen many battles during her past before becoming Nightmare Moon, how she fought against previous evils like Tirek and Sombra, how she and her sister sealed away Discord to stone, and many more villainous acts done by many… this… this was something even she would never do to any of those past evils. Discord tried dodging and ducking the numerous, literal blades of void energy being sent his way, shattering the ground around him, as he zipped by in total fear.

Zen however was relentless; as the fight began, he warped in front of Discord and attempted to take him out with one hit with his gauntlet that was shrouded in void energy. Discord managed to dodge but Zen followed with a spin kick that landed directly onto Discord’s jaw, as he was sent crashing to the ground, skidding toward the mares.

Brutal wasn’t a good enough to describe Zen’s fighting style – he was both ruthless and efficient, taking and using every chance to put as much pain against Discord, while at the same time his attacks weren’t fatal enough to kill… only give permanent damage. During the fight Zen slammed his katana into the ground, before taking a fighting stance with both his claws opened to his sides, while standing vigilantly before the now rising Discord.

“Now you must understand how pitiful you truly are, so much so that using my katana would be unnecessary to deal with you, so I’ll be finishing you off with my own hands. Come, and let’s see who shall rise and who shall fall!”

Discord spat out a glob of blood before gazing at Zen with slit-snake eyes, outstretching his dragon and eagle claw with chaotic magic dancing around his appendages. “If that’s how you want to play, then bring it on!” Sending out a beam of chaos magic, the magical beam was backhanded by Zen which was sent flying to the sky, causing a floating cloud to explode into confetti.

Seeing his attack easily deflected caused to stutter, but he would soon return to the fight as Zen appeared before him. “There’s no time to fret and gawk, so unless you take this seriously, you’ll end up ten-feet underground for certain,” said Zen, casually. “Shadow Claw; Cross!” Both of his clawed gauntlets became shrouded in the same black flames, before Zen did an attack shaped like an X; the attack sending Discord past the mares who watched the fight.

The first to snap out of the shock was Luna, who attempted to stop Zen, but only flinched back as he zoomed by with his sheer speed alone, making a wave of air to hit them all. Discord stood right back up, sending various forms of his own creation at Zen – cotton candy clouds, flying pigs, giant rubber ducks, and giant barriers with Discord’s face on them – block Zen, but none hampered him at the slightest.

Spinning around like a vortex, Zen shredded through all obstacles with ease, until he smashed the barrier with his own body, causing the barrier to crumble into pieces. Seeing his defenses failing, Discord snapped his claw, and was now wearing a Rambo-style outfit, while wielding a machine gun armed with candy corn shaped bullets. “EAT CANDY!” screamed Discord, roaring as he fired the weapon.

Seeing the attack coming for him, Zen stood his ground, spread his arms before slamming them together to create a loud clap. “Corruption Blast; Barrier!” Soon a sphere of darkness shrouded Zen, before imploding outward, making the candy corn bullets to disintegrate to nothing. This continued until Discord ran out, before turning back to his normal form; seeing his attack failing made Discord squeak like a mouse, flying away in fear.

“Nope nope nope nope nope, just nope!”

As the two fought one another – Discord throwing whatever trick he can pull, while Zen easily countering them back – the mares watched with shocked stares, leaving Luna trying to convince her sister to stop all of this. “Sister, while I despise Discord, we can’t let our brother do this! Not only that but if this fight continues any further, then nothing will remain of the surrounding land!”

Celestia stared back at her sister with a gaze that Luna has never seen before in her life with Celestia. “Tia… what’s wrong?”

“…We can’t interfere… I do agree all of this is wrong, but we can’t interfere… Doing so will make the situation much worse; for now, we need to make sure nopony are near the battle right now,” said Celestia.

After some struggling, Luna agreed and soon the two sisters began to order their ponies to head to a safer distance from the battle. Back in the fight, Discord gave up on his playful attitude and focused all his power on facing against Zen; using real weapons like cannons and spears, as well as random pieces of debris being flung at Zen. At some point, Zen retrieved his katana as it came flying toward its master, which Zen began to cut apart each attack with ease, slicing and cutting spears, rubble, and cannonballs with ease.

“Why won’t you just… GRAAAH!” shouted Discord, sending forth a ball of pure chaotic magic. The ball of energy was heading right for Zen, with a focused stance Zen stood still before charging forth with his weapon aimed for the energy ball.

Like a blur, Zen dashed through the ball of energy, cutting it in half; an explosion of raw magic blew up behind Zen, literally cutting the ball of energy before standing in midair as the sudden reentry of air came back from the missing gap caused by the explosion. Seeing this happen, the girls stared at the events of the battle, none daring to speak or make a single noise as they all stood where they were.

Having his attack fail, Discord snarled angrily before firing a beam of raw chaotic magic at Zen, who after swiftly stepping aside, thrust his claw forward, and like that the previous motionless giant shadowy claw that was made by Zen, came forth right at Discord. The giant appendage attempted to crush Discord in its vice-like grip, but the draconequus slipped through, before destroying the appendage out of pure rage.

“So you can fight seriously… Well let’s see if you can handle close-combat,” said Zen. Transforming his katana, Zen now gripped a katana and shortsword on both hands; now armed with two weapons, Zen began to swipe, slash, and stab with his weapons at Discord who dodged or used his magic to morph his body to avoid any and all attacks.

The fight kept continuing with Zen on the offensive and Discord on the defensive… but not for long; seeing Zen’s relentless attacking… Discord had another trick up his sleeve. “If I can’t beat you with my tricks or any of my powers… then I’m just gonna have to change your, mind!” After dodging one swipe, Discord zoomed up to Zen and placed a clawed finger onto Zen’s reflective surface of his helmet. Soon a chaotic energy began to seep from Discord’s finger, spreading to Zen like a cloak, the strange power slowly consuming Zen; Discord watched with maniacal laughter, as the girls and the princesses stared horrified.

“He’s doing the same thing he done to the girls!” shouted Twilight.

As they watched Zen being consumed by the chaotic magic, Discord was certain he won… until he saw his power over Zen destroyed with a single thrust of his weapon. Staring with wide-eyed gaze, Discord’s jaw dropped before he had to tug it for it to go back to normal.

“H-H-H-How!? You should of changed completely, and been the opposite version of yourself!” shouted Discord.

“I was wondering about that… When you changed the girls, it had to been because of something, but after further thought I now knew how your manipulation power works. In order for somepony to do something the complete opposite of their nature, you use words or examples of something they’d believe complete that satisfies their very nature. Of course when that doesn’t work, you warp their perspective of things, twisting their psyche and thoughts… this works perfectly against those you don’t have prepared mental defenses or are mentally weak willed…”

“Then how come it didn’t, work, for, YOU!”

“Simple… you can’t change something that has nothing – I’ve came to this world with barely any emotion or conscious… yes I feel certain things, but in general my emotional capacity for things are dull to such a point that mind-control or outright possession of any kind can’t work on me, I am not just immune, but rather I can’t have the capability to feel anything. You use the emotions of others for your whim, but what happens if you encounter something that can’t feel, that can’t empathize in an emotional level? I’ve seen many many things that break the psyche of the strongest of minds, with some only managing by distracting themselves with random activities, or through rigorous training and discipline… none of these things though are things that keep me here and sane… Just like you, you seen your share of horrors, but compare to the both of us… you haven’t full accepted them, so you surround yourself in these fantastical tricks and games, avoiding the true terrors out there… Me...”

Zen was silent, so much so that the atmosphere was drained of everything – color, sound, light, touch – leaving Discord in an empty nothingness; the nothingness was so dense that not even the brightest of lights would manage to pierce this darkness. This very non-existence of emotion and unfeeling is the result of the power I wield; this is what the Void is capable of doing… It takes, it assimilates whatever it makes contact with it… The only reason it hasn’t consumed every world is because there’s an even greater power that controls it, so imagine, imagine the idea of some greater entity than you or even I, that controls a force of nature like that… and can decide to wipe your very existence alongside the very world you reside in… The difference between you and I… I’m a part of this very force.

Soon everything returned to normal, but before Discord could figure out what was happening, he felt a familiar power. Right before he could get out of the way, the Rainbow Power blasted him with all its might, slowly turning him to stone; now returned to a statue, the girls floated down from using the elements.

While Discord was being influenced by one of Zen’s powers, Zen gave the girls the elements, giving them the chance to turn Discord to stone once more. The girls were exhausted after having the elements twice today, but managed to defeat Discord; the surrounding land reverted back to normal as both Discord’s influence, and Zen’s power returned Ponyville to normal with the power of the elements.

Luna and Celestia approached the now cheering Mane 6, before facing Zen. “Zen… what did you do to him?” asked Luna.

Zen gazed at the petrified form of Discord, his horrified state before turning to stone now being his current state. “Judgment Call; it always me to put anyone into a state similar to hypnosis, allowing me to confuse and give me time to think. Its a perfect interrogation skill that works best against any who are hiding something from me, or those most vulnerable, after use the effected lose memory of what occurred… Call it a mercy move of mine...” Before Zen could leave, he was stopped by Celestia as she placed a hoof on his shoulder.

“I won’t say what you did was right or wrong, to you it was the most efficient way of handling the situation. Killing Discord while removing him from future problems would of made things easier, it would have the side-effect of… ‘damaging’ those nearby; just as how you said that the power you wield is like a force of nature, Discord too is similar in that way, so without him all that chaotic magic would be unleashed and uncontrolled. Having him sealed again was the best decision… but please don’t say you did for the betterment for others; you may not be able to feel like the rest of us, but you can tell me how you wanted to do things… no more secrets.”

Zen turned to face Celestia partially, only a part of his face showing, the rest hidden from view. “...He has his role… some things just have to be this way,” said Zen. Gently lifting Celestia hoof from his shoulder he gently grasped her hoof with one hand… letting it go, leaving her hoof fall to the ground.

After that, Zen walked ahead, vanishing from view to who knows where; soon after that, Celestia and Luna brought the girls and Spike – with the status of Discord – back to Canterlot to congratulate them in sealing Discord. The event between Discord and Zen was only known by the princesses and the Mane 6, and luckily that the news reporters didn’t ask about how Discord was defeating, assuming the princesses or the elements handled him.

Celestia gazed outside for a breath moment, seeing Zen standing on one of the towers of Canterlot, later vanishing again. Zen… just what is it that you won’t tell any of us…

Elsewhere…

Zen now stood over a cliff on Mt Canterlot, overseeing Canterlot from his location; the battle of Discord wasn’t his most difficult of fights, and it was inefficient to say those things to Discord earlier, resulting him to dodge than letting his ego being his folly. Recently Zen has been feeling off for the last couple of months, whether it was because he knew what would occur with Discord, how he knows what troubles will come ahead for Equestria… but there was something bothering him deeply…

When I used the powers of the Void itself… I felt… something… Zen gazed at the night sky, the many stars the twinkled on Luna’s brilliant night sky. I know there are greater powers at there; the Displaced and much more… but… when I used the Void… it almost felt like a part of me was coming back…

“And where I really came from...”

Zen gazed the rest of the night staring at the sky, the thoughts of what he said to Discord, troubling him deeply… of the existence of a master of the Void.

Deep within the Void…

The Maker sat or rather laid on a black throne made of the same substance that shrouded the Void in its eternal space; he sat there with his eyes closed, when he opened them to gaze at the one he was waiting for. “I see you are late as ever.”

Stepping forth was an individual that radiated a sadistic-nature that overwhelmed any who dare cross this being. Coming out the darkness was a feminine being who wore ragged clothes, her hair messy and held a crazed smile; various scars covered her body, while she held a jagged dagger in one hand, playfully twirling and flipping it around without a care. “You caaaalled?”

"We both know why I brought you here… I need you to watch a particular… thing of mine. You can find it at this realm – a hidden but recently new multiverse consisting of these equine creatures, and strong aura from the inhabitants. I’ll be hiding your aura so none will notice you… I want you to watch it, but to also not interfere or gain it’s attention… So if you fail… then you’ll be punished, swiftly.”

The woman smiled widely, before tossing the knife upward, the knife coming back down and plunging into the woman’s hand; blood began to pool out the hand, but the woman continued to smile without a care, as her bloodshot insane eyes gazed upward at the deity.

“There was never a need for you to order me to do this, I haven’t done anything for such a long long tiiiime. I won’t be getting myself caught… but I will have some fun with these ponies… their blood will be deliiicious.” The woman cackled before it grew to an insane laughter; soon a black vortex appeared before her, but before she stepped forward, the Maker had one final thing to say.

"One more thing; at some point I want you to test his current capabilities, so when I give you the order, see how he’ll handle you. Understood,” said the Maker. The woman gazed up at the deity, before she pulled out the knife from her hand, the blood continued to spill from the wound, but slowly began to seal up leaving fresh skin. “Ona.”

“Gheheheh, loud,” said Ona. She proceeded to lick the blood from the dagger in a slutty manner, enjoying the metallic taste and the crimson color that coated her tongue to a deep red. “and cllleaar.”

Author's Notes:

(Okay before I do the usual summary thing, this chapter original was going to be some grand battle, but due to how short the previous chapter and further thinking... this is Discord for peaks sake, every version of him no matter what story or world, he's either some prankster god, or just likes screwing with others - which is kind the same thing with being a prankster god - so seeing him do some epic battle, while sounding cool wouldn't be his style. He'd either make it into a game or be a really good distraction for someone else to make the blow. I'm not saying Discord can't act like something else, its just that "I" can't write him that way, so I think him like this will do, but don't worry he'll get his chance later.)

With Discord defeated and the battle over, peace returns to Equestria, but outer forces are coming in play, and soon the peace won't last forever. Next chapter: Coming soon; the next arc of the story - Days of Peace.

Thoughts: Celestia
Zen

Narration/Dialogue: Zen
The Maker